Murder Rates Are Exploding in Many of America’s Largest Cities

For the past 25 years America’s overall crime rate has seen a dramatic decline, and by all accounts the reason for this decline is a total mystery. Violent crime has plummeted 40% since the early 90’s, and this trend was felt across the board in nearly every city and region in the county.

However, we may be witnessing a reversal in that trend. According to the New York Times, 25 of America’s 100 largest cities are experiencing a growth in violent crime. And since 80% of Americans live in urban and suburban areas, it’s safe to say that the overall crime rate in this country may be about to go in a different direction.

This wasn’t a slight uptick either. The data was derived by the National Institute of Justice, which looked at the murder rate in 56 American cities. The study’s author noted that “the homicide increase in the nation’s large cities was real and nearly unprecedented.”

Half of the overall murder rate increase came from a handful of cities, such as Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Milwaukee, Nashville and Washington DC. Though Chicago had 488 murders last year, the highest number found in the study, Baltimore experienced the most growth, with 133 more murders in 2015 than 2014.

What’s most worrisome about this study, is that it hearkens back to a more violent time our country’s history. We haven’t experienced a single year crime increase in this many cities since the 1991, which saw violent crime grow in 36 American cities.